AWAKE

I feel I must preface this review with a few facts. I'm an older fan of prog that just got into Dream Theater this year when I purchased "Scenes from a Memory" and "Octavarium." I find both to be of the highest quality and they quickly rose into my top ten. I have a lot of respect for this incredible band so I'll highlight the good news about this album first. If you didn't know it already, John Petrucci is a phenomenon on guitar. I played for over 30 years myself and the ability to play that fast and precisely is a God-given talent that only few are given. He makes this album rise high above the rabble and he does things you have to hear to believe. And the progressive music here is great, overall. Very well-thought-out, inventive and complex without getting ridiculously befuddling. Now the bad news. I had wondered why so many reviewers had problems with LaBrie's vocals. What I have heard on the aforementioned cds is terrific to my ears and I continue to enjoy his work immensely. However, I now understand where everyone was coming from. When he goes into what I call his "scary" voice I want to run from the room. For real. But I have to take into considerable consideration that this was recorded over a decade ago in 1993-94 and this is what was happening/selling at the time and maybe he was trying to sound like Dio or something. Whatever. All I can say is that if I'd bought this album before the two I did I may never have purchased another one from Dream Theater and that would have been a shame. I will continue to listen to this cd from time to time because there are still some wonderful songs on here like "The Silent Man," "Space-dye vest," "Innocence Faded" and the marvelous instrumental "Erotomania." Again, the music throughout is top-notch but I find I have to just tune out Labrie's too frequently employed screamy vocals in order to enjoy the songs. To put this all in context I love Genesis and Yes but some of their earlier recordings have to be viewed in context of where they were in terms of their writing and performing experience. I think I'll observe this album in that same light. Well done but they kept getting better and better as they moved forward through the years. 3.4 stars.